The 2023 Mercedes G Class: An Evolutionary Step for an Automotive Icon
The Mercedes G Class has experienced a rags-to-riches story that few other production vehicles can match. In fact, it wasn’t developed as a production vehicle at all – when development began in the 1970s, it was originally intended for military contract sales. Boxy, completely stripped of all frills, and utilitarian (almost to a fault, some would say). Thankfully, someone along the way at Mercedes had the good sense to release the rugged off-roader to the public in 1979, and the G Class was born. Over the years, it’s slowly gained the bells and whistles (along with another set of doors), to transition the vehicle out of its original role as a stripped-down 4×4 and into a new niche; the pinnacle of Mercedes engineering and craftsmanship inside and out. But for the G Class, another radical transformation isn’t too far off on the horizon.
As most folks who pay attention to the news would agree, there is a sea change happening in automotive manufacturers worldwide, as governments have cracked down on carbon emissions and issued fuel efficiency mandates over the past several years. With more than a little irony, the new Hummer is fully electric. Ferrari has announced they’ll be presenting their take on an EV sports car in 2025. And, perhaps most shockingly, Mercedes-Benz has announced that their entire lineup will be entirely electric “where market conditions allow” by the year 2030.
Mercedes has already announced an all-electric companion to the standard G Class called the EQG. The EQG is expected to hit the market in 2024, so many folks have been patiently waiting for new information on the 2023 G Class. With the internal combustion engine already on its way out of the door at Mercedes, the big question for this model year seemed to be – “what’s going to be under the hood for 2023?” Some small bits of information and spy photos for the upcoming G Class have emerged recently as road testing begins, and it seems like we have the answer to this question, and others.
Evolution, Not Revolution
Perhaps most importantly, we do know that the 2023 G Class vehicles will feature subtle, evolutionary upgrades. As indicated by tactical camouflage placement on the test mule, front and rear body panels will feature a slight face lift at the front and rear to bring them into line with the design cues of the rest of the Mercedes lineup.
On the inside, it’s safe to bet the Mercedes’ own proprietary MBUX infotainment system will migrate over into the G Class this upcoming model year. Additional camouflage seen around the dashboard also leads us to believe there will be additional interior tweaks and upgrades – perhaps borrowing some cues from the Concept EQG. With an estimated price coming in at around $135,000 for the ‘23 model year, this would be right in line with the incremental improvements we’re seeing.
The current platform isn’t getting long in the tooth by any stretch of the imagination, but given the major changes coming from Mercedes inside of this decade, it’s reasonable to expect that the revolutionary upgrades aren’t too far off in the future.
Keeping the V-8
Those who are fans of the current, 4.0L twin-turbo V-8 that’s currently found in the G Class vehicles can breathe easy – it is a safe bet that motor will carry over to the 2023 model year. It’s within the realm of possibility that Mercedes could add some sort of hybrid system, but as of press time, nothing we’ve seen would suggest that’s happened already. A plug-in hybrid or “mild hybrid” arrangement would be the most likely routes Mercedes would go down, should they end up adding EV capability before it hits the dealers.
As stated before, internal combustion Mercedes motors are on borrowed time, and those who would like one in a new G Class of their own would probably be wise to consider making moves in the next few years. The current crop of motors available have outputs ranging up to 577 horsepower, and it’s unclear if those numbers will be bumped up slightly or not.
The 4×4 Squared Returns
There have been several editions of the 4×4 Squared to date, and thankfully Mercedes has yet another iteration of the ultimate G Class in store. Currently under development and road testing, this new Squared features the high ride height that we are used to seeing, courtesy of the portal axles, along with aggressive fender flares and off-road-inspired bodywork. Based on the G 550, the test mule also features the full-length roof rack, and the iconic rear tire cover that are hallmarks of the 4×4 Squared badge. Once an official announcement is made about the latest, greatest 4×4 Squared and more details are made public, we’ll surely dive in for a full look of this most desirable truck.
As with any new model year reveal, Mercedes has gone through the usual amount of trouble to avoid any details of the upcoming G Class being released ahead of schedule. But, like always, they can’t conceal everything, and all signs point to the 2023 Mercedes-Benz G Class being an evolutionary step in the history of the G Class, rather than the revolutionary leap that will assuredly be happening as Mercedes (and the other automakers of the world) transition away from internal combustion and move towards electrifying their lineups.
